In South Africa, as elsewhere, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the criticality of human resources for health (HRH), while exposing the fault lines of under-investment and insufficient prioritisation of health workers.

This DPSI research colloquium will provide a brief analysis of HRH in South Africa and present an overview and select findings from a novel longitudinal study called WiSDOM. The study tracks the career choices and job location decisions of eight groups of health professional graduates of the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. These groups are clinical associates, dentists, doctors, nurses, oral hygienists, occupational therapists, pharmacist and physiotherapists.

The presentation will conclude with making the case for using the COVID-19 pandemic as a window of opportunity for strategic investment in and reforms of HRH in South Africa, with lessons for other low-and-middle income countries.